Red Eyes (Naruto FanFic)

Chapter 12 - Killer

Her teammates seemed to finally overcome their shock. Surprisingly, Kiba was the first to speak up. "Akai, we're sorry. We didn't mean to-..."

"You know what? Just drop it. It's not worth talking about."

And then, the girl walked away.

| * | * | * | * | * |

Akai had insisted on going back to Konoha, no longer interested in the whole Sasuke-retrieval mission. Despite the team's protests, Kakashi decided to let her return, her injuries being a valid reason to let her off. The Hatake left a clone to make sure nothing happens to her, but Akai couldn't say that she really appreciated the gesture. The trip was mostly spent in silence, with the ex-Kiri nin playing with a dull kunai in silence.

"Akai." The blue-haired girl turned and narrowed her red eyes at the silverette beside her.

"Akai's not here."

"I didn't think she would let you out, Akane," Kakashi noted, receiving a huff from the girl.

"Right now, I'm her only ally. Why wouldn't she?" Akane retorted, "Akai said, and I quote: 'There's no use to be outside, I don't want to deal with those wimps' bullshit. No matter what I do, they still hate me.'"

"She can still hear me, right?"

Akane sent Kakashi a sceptical look, "But she won't listen to you. And she's resting right now, so don't you bother her."

"... Resting?"

"She just fought an S-rank criminal, was blown up at least twice and even healed your Uchiha student. You're older than her by at least twelve years, it should be understandable, right?"

"No, I mean, you're here and-..."

"Akai and I are two different persons, Hatake," Akane explained, "We share a body, but that's all. We have different personalities, different thoughts and interests, and we also expertise in different skills. Akai can turn her mist acidic and I can turn into that mist itself. Of course, with us being allies now, we can combine our power. But that obviously takes lots of chakra, which explains her current exhaustion."

"What if someone kills one of you?"

"Only we can kill one of us alone." Akane sighed, "I mean, if anyone kills me right now, they would also damage the body, and Akai will also die. If you want Akai to be the only one alive, she has to kill me."

Kakashi frowned, "But what about the time when Akai first came to Konoha? You weren't there."

"Was this conversation supposed to turn into a deep interview about Akai's past?" Akane tilted her head, her hand unconsciously reaching for Hiramekarei's hilt. Kakashi, noticing the gesture, quickly raised his hands up in defeat.

"You don't have to answer it. I was just curious," he said, "But please tell Akai this: 'You're right. You're different, that's why we don't know how to react to what you did. But it wasn't your fault, and we shouldn't have judged you.'"

Akane nodded, "Anything else?"

"Just give us time. It's still hard to trust someone who came back from the dead, but we'll try."

Her gaze softened, and her eyes, for a little while, faded back to grey. "I'll take your word on that, tashikani."

| * | * | * | * | * |

The days passed as a blur for Akai. Most of the time, Akane was the one taking care of their body, occasionally talking to Kakashi's clone about anything that comes to mind. Weapons, jutsu, even sometimes politics. And, the one he hates the most, methods of torture and assassination.